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As is the way of the internet, no sooner had David Letterman
announced his
retirement last week, then did lists of his possible
replacements (Top 10 lists, naturally) start appearing online.

It came as somewhat of a surprise today when CBS ended the
conjecture with a swift announcement of his successor. So
rejoice, Nation: Stephen Colbert is going to take Letterman's
place at the helm of The Late Show in 2015.

In a statement,
CBS network president and CEO Leslie Moonves said Colbert "is one
of the most inventive and respected forces on television."

No argument here, and it will be interesting to see if or even
how Colbert adjusts and repurposes his Comedy Central-bred
"Stephen Colbert" persona for network TV. On The Colbert
Report, his character offers an incisive, often delightful,
funhouse-mirror take on the bombast and blanket statements of
American punditry (with special mention to Fox News personality
Bill O'Reilly). But will Stephen Colbert host The Late
Show as just, well, Stephen Colbert? He has testified
before Congress in character, so it's hard to say.

With NBC's reshuffling of its late-night roster came a consistent
argument that the late night landscape is a homogenous one,
populated predominantly by white, male comedians. In eight
months' time Comedy Central's 11:30 p.m. timeslot will be wide
open, and there is an incredible amount of diverse talent who
could step up.

Colbert is a self-professed J.R.R. Tolkien super fan. He's
interviewed
Peter Jackson (wearing Hobbit feet, of course) in a studio
decorated to look like the Shire. He's had a cameo in
The Hobbit, and hilariously showed up James Franco with
his knowledge of Tolkien trivia.

He's a man of many talents

Sure, Grammy's, Emmy's and Peabody Awards are nice, but Colbert
has also run for president, twice (in South Carolina, anyway),
he's a children's book author,
and he sings too. He's performed
Stephen Sondheim's Company at the New York City
Philharmonic, and here he is duetting with Audra McDonald.

His name is everywhere

A treadmill on the International Space Station, a Ben Jerry's ice
cream flavor, a bald eagle at the San Francisco Zoo and a
species of trapdoor spider all bear Colbert's name.